There's a few things that chef Matt Stanczak wants you to know about Stanziato's, the wood-fired pizza joint he owns on Mill Plain Road in Danbury.

They're printed on his menu.

The first: The restaurant does not serve slices.

The second: It is not your "typical corner pizzeria."

On the surface, statements like these might be taken as signs of a restaurant that takes itself too seriously. But that couldn't be further from the case -- unless you're talking about the pizza, of course.

The setting, however, is thoroughly laid-back. An unassuming brick building replete with red-and-white tiled floors, local artwork and portraits of Kermit and Miss Piggy painted on the bathroom doors, Stanziato's eschews the pretense of fine dining in favor of a fun, welcoming, low-key atmosphere.

The place: Stanziato's, 35 Lake Ave. Extension, Danbury

The vibe: Casual, community-minded and festive.

The crowd: Families run the show at dinner time and late 20- and 30-somethings take over at night. Despite being so close to Western Connecticut State University, the bar doesn't attract a college-age crowd. "There aren't a lot of people doing shots at the bar," Michalan Riehl, a waitress, said with a laugh.

Best seat: A high-top table situated on a platform across from the restaurant's hulking wood-stoked oven. There, you have a bird's eye view of the action inside the kitchen.

What I tried: Cauliflower Pizza. One of Stanziato's seven white pies, it's made with roasted cauliflower and fresh mozzarella and topped with truffle drizzle. The crust is thin and crispy, the cauliflower crunchy and slightly sweet. Stanziato's makes a simple, yet stellar pie.

Must-try entrees: They're also willing to take chances. The kitchen conjures up some delicious, if unorthodox specials, with names (i.e., the Scrump-diddly-umptious Pizza) to match. The recipes are based on available ingredients and Stanczak's own imagination. When I visited earlier this month, Stanziato's had listed a yet-to-be-named pie topped with roasted duck, mint, pickled beets, grapes, brie and lemon (what?!). That's not to take away from the creativity of the regular menu. I'm not a big fan of bacon (don't hate), so I skipped the Piggy Piggy. However, it's sure to make you bacon lovers happy. A white pizza, it's topped with chopped bacon, mozzarella, caramelized onions, sliced tomato and balsamic. Of the seven red pies, the Vodka -- made with mozzarella, sliced tomato, vodka sauce, Parmesan cheese, basil and extra virgin olive oil -- is the most popular.

Must-try drink: Craft beer! Not only does Stanczak have a taste for high-quality ingredients, he has a taste for high-quality brews. Stanziato's bar features 10 rotating taps, including IPAs, which go super well with pizza.

Bonus: Stanziato's keeps it local. Many of their ingredients come from local growers and artisans (Holbrook Farm in Bethel, The Hickories in Ridgefield), while much of the decor is produced by area artists. Even the wood for the oven is local.